The present invention is directed to a control tool for use with a control strip to monitor process conditions in a photographic process.
In current use, a control strip is used to monitor processes and photographic processing systems. The particular control strip requires that it be used with a densitometer which is an electronic device that measures the density of the patches provided on a control strip. Once the densities are determined, the results are compared with densities that have been predetermined for the control strip. Once the results are obtained they are compared with a reference document or computer program loaded onto a computer. Based on the pattern of the determined densities relative to the reference control strip the potential causes of any deviation from the desired aim are determined.
A disadvantage with prior art systems is that the cost of the densitometer is typically several thousands of dollars. This can be a significant problem particularly with small retailers having small operations or in developing countries or areas where the cost of a densitometer is substantial. The failure to use a densitometer often leads to the photofinishing operation in a state that is less than optimal.
Another problem associated with prior art systems is that typically the processor operator or quality control technician runs a control strip at the start of production or during a production run. Often the start of production is delayed until the results of the control strip are verified. This delay in time is very unproductive and can result in more expensive operation due to the additional cost of maintaining the personnel waiting for process control verification. If the analysis of the control strip determines that there is a problem, with the prior art the technician will often typically go to other reference manuals to determine the cause of the problem and then proceed to outline a procedure for the solving of the problem.
Thus, there is a need to provide a system whereby the determination of whether the photographic process is within tolerance and can be done quickly and in an economic manner.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a control tool for monitoring a predetermined process condition in a photographic process, comprising:
a support element having a plurality of rows, each row having a plurality of visual density patches and representing a different process condition;
at least one of the rows is used for monitoring a process condition being monitored and at least one of the other of the rows identifies an out-of-control process condition;
the plurality of rows of visual density patches are designed to be correlated with a process control strip that has been processed in the photographic process to be monitored, the support element further having textual information identifying at least one process condition and describing the process condition that may need to be corrected in response to correlation of the control strip to the control tool.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for making a control tool for use in monitoring a photographic process, comprising the steps of:
using a graphic computer program to produce a digital image file, the digital image file containing data for the printing of density patches on a photographic media and a second separate file for printing text on the photographic media; and
printing the density patches and text on the media using the two separate files.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a control tool for monitoring a predetermined process condition in a photographic process, comprising:
a support element having two rows, each row having a plurality of visual density patches and representing a different process condition, one of said rows is used for monitoring an upper process limit condition and the other one of two rows identifies a lower process limit condition; and
the two rows of visual density patches are designed to be correlated with a process control strip that has been processed in the photographic process to be monitored, the support element further having textual information identifying at least one process condition and describing the process condition that may need to be corrected in response to correlation of the control strip to the control tool.